Meatloaf Recipe

This recipe was given to me by my good friend Katie. I wanted to share it, along with some ideas of different foods you can add and on how you can use this recipe in different ways.

Classic Meatloaf
3 Slices bread (the recipe calls for white, but we like to use our 8 grain Winco bread)
1/3 c milk
1 lb ground beef (you can use turkey pretty successfully)
1 lb ground pork
1/2 med onion, grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large egg
1/2 c. ketsup, divided
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line backing pan with foil or parchment paper. Make the bread crumbs (I use a small food processor) and drizzle milk over the crumbs. Soak for 10 minutes. Combine meat, onion, garlic, egg, 1/4 c ketsup, 1 1/2 tsp salt (I left this out in order to feed it to Johnathan and it tasted fine) 1/4 tsp pepper. Add bread and milk mixture, mix gently with a fork. Don't overmix. Form into a loaf about 9 inches long and 4-5 inches wide.

Bake, brushing twice with 1/4 c ketsup, until instant-read thermometer reads 160 degrees. Approx. 45-55 minutes. Rest 10 minutes before slicing.

I've used this recipe as a meatloaf recipe, but I've also turned this recipe into meatballs and hamburgers.

Things that you can add and play with:

• 1 c shredded sweet potato (light flesh, not orange)
• 1 red pepper, steamed and pureed (or just finely chopped)
• 1 TBSP worchestershire sauce
• 1 small yellow summer squash, shredded (or zucchini)
• finely chopped mushrooms

Enjoy, and let me know if any of you have some good additions!